Tuesday, April 15, 2008

(April 15, 2008) - The ETSU baseball team could not hold on to a 8-1 lead as the 7^th ranked Georgia Bulldogs came back to defeat the Bucs at Foley Field in Athens, Ga. on Tuesday night, 9-8.

The Bucs (9-27, 7-14) got a good start from senior Matt McGahey (Jonesborough, Tenn.) who went five innings allowing three runs on two hits and struck out three while walking three. ETSU out hit the Bulldogs 11-10, but could not hold an 8-1 lead as Georgia scored eight unanswered runs.

Derek Trent (Kingsport, Tenn.) put a charge into a fastball and drove it way over the scoreboard in right field for a three-run home run to give the Bucs an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first.

In the top of the second, Chris Rankhorn (Gallatin, Tenn.) added to the Bucs lead as he drove a two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Bucs a 5-0 lead.

Georgia cut into the ETSU lead in the bottom of the second on a swinging bunt single by Lyle Allen to make the score 5-1.

Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) got into the act in the top of the fourth as he hit a two-run monster shot to left center to give ETSU a 7-1 lead.

The Bucs added to the lead in the top of the sixth as Danny Petro (Atlanta, Ga.) beat out a grounder to third with two outs to drive in Jacob Fabry (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Gordon Beckham cut into the Bucs lead in the bottom of the sixth a he drove an RBI single into center to make the score 8-2. Later in the inning Allen drove in two more on a single to left field to cut the Bucs lead to 8-4.

The Bulldogs cut the Bucs lead to two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a Rich Poythress single to right center to make the score 8-6. Matt Cerione drove in a run in the bottom of the eighth to cut the Bucs lead to 8-7.  Georgia tied things up in the eighth on a Matt Olson single to make the score 8-8.

In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs Beckham came in to score on a wild pitch as Petro just missed tagging him in a bang-bang play to make the final 9-8.

Rankhorn and Trent were both 2-for-3 as Rankhorn drove in two and scored two, while Trent drove in three and scored a run. With Russell's home run he is now second in the country with 15 on the season.

The Bucs are back tomorrow at Cardinal Park as they will host former conference rival Appalachian State as the first pitch is set for 7 p.m.

Georgia 9, ETSU 8 (April 15, 2008 at Athens, Ga.)
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ETSU........320  201  000   -  8  11  2   (9-27, 7-14 A-Sun)

UGA......... 010  003  221   -  9  10  3   (24-12, 12-3 SEC)

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Pitchers: ETSU - Matt McGahey; Darren Caldwell (6); Dustin Plumlee (6); Drew Story (8); Chas Byrne (8); Ben Andrews (9)
UGA - Stephen Brock; Stephen Ochs (2); Will Harvil (5); Steve Esmonde(7)

Win - Steve Esmonde (2-0) Loss - Ben Andrews (2-3)

HR - ETSU - Derek Trent (9); Chris Rankhorn (1); Anthony Russell (15)